Android location search gets a boost with new Places app

Google has augmented Android's location search capabilities with a new Places …

Google really changed the game for mobile mapping in Android by offering impressive features like turn-by-turn navigation at no cost. Excellent location-aware software is obviously a prerequisite for lucrative location-sensitive advertising, so it's unsurprising that Google has continued to invest a lot of technical resources in its effort to aggressively improve Android's map software.

The latest improvement to Google Maps for Android is a new Places application that makes it easy for the user to search for points of interest in their immediate vicinity. It's basically a shortcut for performing local searches without having to start in the Maps interface. The tool comes with a built-in set of standard preconfigured searches that can be performed for finding restaurants, coffee shops, bars, hotels, and gas stations. Users can also add their own search queries to invoke from the application.

Google has also made some improvements to the location search results, adding data like store hours and menu links for restaurants. Much of the information exposed by the location search tool is aggregated from Internet sources like Zagat, Yelp, and Urbanspoon. It even has basic OpenTable integration so you can make reservations from your phone for supported restaurants.

Google has done an impressive job bringing together the most useful third-party location services and exposing their information in a cohesive user interface. The move pushes traditional stand-alone GPS gadgets one step closer to extinction. The update is being rolled out through the Android Market and will be available to users on Android 1.6 or higher.